


Tea & Arsenic

by chaotically_cas



Category: The Outsiders - S. E. Hinton
Genre: M/M, tw cursing, tw murder, tw violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-14 19:01:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28800243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaotically_cas/pseuds/chaotically_cas
Summary: Steve finally snaps. And Ponyboy is the only one who knows
Relationships: Ponyboy Curtis/Steve Randle
Comments: 3
Kudos: 21





	Tea & Arsenic

**Author's Note:**

> Again this is fucked & I’m sorry

“Fuck Steve” Steve mumbled to himself.   
He heard his father rambling, drunk, in the other room. He stared down at a small vile of arsenic in his hand. He had paid the kid Shepard more than he could afford for it, but he couldn’t deal with his father any longer.   
“Fuck Steve” he mumbled again, walked over to get a beer from the fridge. He wasn’t any expert on the matter so he just figured he would use as much as he could, he didn’t want his father ever waking up. Let alone knowing it was Steve.   
Steve took a deep breath and dumped the whole vile into the steaming tea. He watched as the powder mixed and dissolved. He watched until he was satisfied. Even though he knew his father was too drunk to notice a damn rat in his glass.   
Steve picked up the mug, took a deep breath, and walked to the living room where his dad was.   
“There you are” his father slurred evilly. If there was a word for Steve’s father, it was evil.   
“Sorry” Steve said quietly “here.” He extended the drink out to his father. His dad grabbed it angrily, almost spilling it. He grunted and took a large swig.   
Steve closed his eyes tightly and retreated back to the kitchen, he couldn’t watch what was about to happen.   
And god was it much, much worse than he had imagined.   
It was an agonizing hour of hearing his father shout for him in pain. Hearing him seize up. Puking. It was hell. But after the most painful hour of probably both of their lives, the struggle stopped. Steve couldn’t even hear the rasp of his breath anymore.   
He picked himself up onto his shaky legs and hobbled over to where his father was lying on the floor.   
Eyes open and rolled back in his head, foaming at the mouth, surrounded in evidence of the struggle.   
“Fuck” Steve gasped, clutching his stomach so he wouldn’t throw up.   
For the first time in his life he felt sick, in a good way. He felt good. He was in shock. In horror. But deep down he felt good.   
“I have to get out of here” Steve mumbled to himself, shoving the empty vile in his pocket.   
He walked to his room, opened his window, and slipped out into the cold night air. He made sure to leave the window open a sliver.   
As he walked down the dark street he went over his plan in his head.   
He would spend a few hours at the drive-in theater then head home, ‘find’ his dad, and call the cops. And he knew Curly was no snitch. Curly could have killed his own old man for all Steve knew.   
The cold nagged at Steve more than his actions had.   
He passed a storm drain and casually kicked the empty vile into it. He heard it clink at the bottom and continued his walk to the theater.   
He snuck in the fence in the usual spot.   
He heard his stomach rumble, he couldn’t believe he was hungry at a time like this.   
But nonetheless he found himself waiting in line at the snack shack, dollar in hand.   
He got himself some popcorn and searched for an empty seat.   
He saw the backs of Two Bit and Ponyboy’s heads, perfect for an alibi.   
He chose a seat a few rows behind them and started to loudly crunch on the popcorn to subtly get their attention.   
Two Bit was too invested in whatever movie was on but Ponyboy whipped around to get a look at whoever was ruining his experience.   
His eyes met Steve’s and something looked different about Pony. He looked at Steve like Steve had blood on his face, which he knew wasn’t possible.   
“What?” Steve mouthed to Ponyboy, coming out a bit harsher than he intended.   
Steve saw Pony turn to Two Bit, whisper something to him, then hand his popcorn off to him.   
Ponyboy stood up and Steve gulped, knowing he was gonna have to actually talk to someone. He didn’t want to talk to anyone that night. Especially the kid Curtis.   
“Steve. Can I talk to you?” Pony asked nervously.   
“Bout what” Steve hissed, he didn’t actually hate the kid but he hated the world that night.   
“What Curly told me.”   
Fuck. Steve’s hand started to sweat and his head felt dizzy. He was gonna kill that kid.   
“Fuck this” Steve growled. He stood up and fiercely walked over to a corner by the fence. Not even caring is Pony was still following him or now.   
Steve whipped around to see Ponyboy right on his heels.   
“What do you know?” Steve challenged.   
“What? Nothing? I just know you bought from Curly...” Pony trailed off “what do you need arsenic for?”  
“That kid is dead” Steve grunted under his breath. So much for Curly not being a snitch.   
“You ain’t planning nothing, are ya Steve,” Pony asked carefully.   
“Why the fuck would you care” Steve barked harshly.   
“I care cause I care. And cause Soda would care. The whole gang would care” Pony whispered looking at the ground.   
“You think I’m trying to die? Jesus kid it ain’t like that” Steve said, letting himself crack a small laugh.   
“It ain’t?” Pony responded, cocking his head “Curly is an idiot then.”  
“I’ll say” Steve rolled his eyes.   
It was silent for a second before Pony spoke up again.   
“What did ya need it for then? That stuffs deadly” Pony spoke, wincing at the words that came out.   
“I know that Pony” Steve sneered.   
“Steve?”   
Steve didn’t even have to say anything. He knew Pony knew now.   
“Fuck if you tell anyone” Steve threatened, tears begging to spill out of his eyes but Steve wouldn’t let that happen. Especially in front of Ponyboy.   
“Who’d you kill Steve” Pony asked, almost blankly.   
Ever since Johnny and Dally died Ponyboy had been real different on the subject of death and murder. It was like since he’d been around the block a few times he was all of a sudden some like of all knowing witch.   
And he certainly was in this moment.   
“Was it your dad?”  
Steve guessed his face gave it away because Pony went wide eyed and slack jawed.   
“Holy shit” he mumbled.   
“I swear if you tell anyone” Steve repeated, this time finding it much harder to contain his tears.   
“I aint gonna” Pony spoke. He had an honesty about his words where Steve just nodded.   
Steve started to pace back and forth, picking at the dry skin on his lips.   
“Did you get rid of the evidence?” Pony asked softly, trying to meet Steve’s darting eyes.   
“Yeah. I threw it in a sewer drain. Put the shit in my old man's tea” Steve chuckled, shaking his hair at the craziness of the whole situation. I mean, he was talking to his best friends kid brother about a damn murder he had just committed.   
“What now?”  
“Hell if I know” Steve snapped running his hands through his hair “I planned on coming home to find him and call the cops.”  
“That sounds like a good plan. Make sure you sound real scared” Pony advised.   
Steve just nodded and continued to pace around.   
“Steve? Are you ok?” Pony asked, placing a small hand on the older boy’s shaking shoulder.   
“I don’t know anymore Pony,” Steve chuckled looking up at the night sky.   
“It’ll be ok. I won’t say nothing.” Pony promised sticking out his hand. Steve looked from Ponyboy’s eyes to his hand and back.   
“When did you get so grown” Steve snarled, shaking Pony’s cold hand.   
“When did we all” Pony asked sadly, pulling his hand back into his pocket.   
Steve nodded. He knew exactly what Pony meant. A year ago he would have never been shaking Sodapop’s kid brothers hand in agreement to cover up a murder. Never in a thousand years.   
They returned to their seats right as the credits began to roll. Steve quickly split out the back on the hole in the fence he had come through.   
He walked with his head down and puffed on his cigarette as he thought about every event from the night.   
He climbed into his window. Took a deep breath. And dialed the police.   
Within minutes the cops were pounding down his door, putting his dad in a body bag, and carrying him away.   
Steve knew Tulsa didn’t have the money for an autopsy, let alone the care for one on someone like Steve’s dad.   
Steve sat on his front steps, a warm blanket covering his shoulders, as he tried his absolute hardest to fake his sadness over the situation.   
A few minutes later he heard the noise of feet running towards him. He looked up to see Darry, Soda, Pony, and Two Bit running over to him.   
“Fuck Steve I’m so sorry” Soda wept, throwing himself into Steve. Some sort of fucked hug.   
Two bit kept silent. He was never good in times like these.   
Darry sat besides him, telling him it would be ok, as Soda clung to his chest. Soda knew how Steve felt. Well, not exactly.   
Steve looked up only to meet Ponyboys all knowing eyes. It was unspoken, but Ponyboy just nodded.


End file.
